Chapter 38: The Surprise Attack on Gaoque Pass Atop the Cliff

Of course, whether such rumors were true, Tugebu himself did not know.

The reality was that Tugebu had not only taken two princesses into his tent but had also vaulted into the position of deputy commander of the Royal Guard. As the right-hand man to the Right Worthy Prince and an essential advisor, he held the title of Baigudu Hou. For a time, his influence was unparalleled; he was, by all accounts, a man who had won at life.

"Wolf smoke? Could the Qin army still have troops on this side of the Helan Mountains?"

Tugebu’s brows knitted together, a flash of doubt crossing his eyes. The Rongdi army had already captured the Qin watchtowers in the Helan Mountains; for the wolf smoke to be lit now, some unexpected situation must have occurred.

"The King’s general offensive is within these few days. No matter what happens, we must hold the eastern gate of the Rongdi people."

Tugebu pondered for a moment, his gaze hardening with resolve. He turned to his personal guards and issued an order: "Pass the word down—for these next few days, everyone is to sleep in their armor, weapons at the ready, and vigilance is to be increased."

"Furthermore, double the number of night patrols. If anyone attempts to breach the pass under the cover of night, you are authorized to execute them on the spot without waiting for further orders!"

His voice was sonorous and forceful, dripping with murderous intent.

"Is such tension really necessary?" The master archer asked, his brows furrowed in confusion. "What if we kill the wrong person?"

"Better to kill the wrong person than to let a single enemy slip through!" Tugebu’s voice was resolute and brooked no argument. "I don’t care what others have done before, but at our Yiqu King’s Gaoguan Pass, not even a fly shall be allowed to fly in!"

Gaoguan Pass was vital to the Great Qin, and it was equally significant to the Rongdi. It was the throat that controlled their eastward advance. Once firmly held, the land south of the Yin Mountains would be like a defenseless, ravishing beauty, opening her arms to them, allowing them to ride straight in and move as they pleased. Therefore, Gaoguan Pass must never be lost.

As night fell, the wolf smoke rose toward the heavens over the Yin Mountains. The Left Worthy Prince, who had been reorganizing his forces in a new camp after his own base was attacked, also noticed the sudden signal.

"What is going on?"

The Left Worthy Prince asked his subordinates with a faint smile. He was responsible for raiding the region south of the Yin Mountains and knew nothing of the situation to the east.

"I suspect it’s just that group of Qin soldiers making trouble again," one subordinate said dismissively. "Their main force has already retreated. These remaining scattered squads are barely enough to whet our appetites. Some tribes are just cowardly, making a fuss over nothing."

"Exactly," another agreed. "We Rongdi were raised on horseback; do we have anything to fear from them? We can slaughter them in a heartbeat."

"The Qin army at Yinshan Fort has been beaten to a pulp by us. If it weren’t for that surprise attack they pulled off, those farmers in the south would be better fighters than them. If anyone dared to provoke the Right Worthy Prince, they’d truly be tired of living."

"Though Tugebu is the Right Worthy Prince’s son-in-law, among the younger generation of generals, who can compete with him in a charge? With him guarding Gaoguan Pass, those Qin dogs fleeing into the grasslands will never make it back to Yanmen Pass—they are as good as dead." Another subordinate chimed in, his words full of admiration for Tugebu.

Hearing this, the Left Worthy Prince let out a cold snort. "What? You all seem to think quite highly of that Tugebu?" His tone carried a hint of displeasure; it seemed he was unhappy with his men praising another.

"Oh, Your Highness, what are you saying? Tugebu is just a reckless youth. When it comes to real warfare, there is no one who compares to you," a quick-witted subordinate hurriedly flattered him.

Hearing this, the Left Worthy Prince nodded and stroked his beard with a smile. He held himself in high regard; how could the petty tricks of these young upstarts compare to a veteran of the battlefield like him?

"No matter who is stirring up trouble, send two squads of scouts to determine the truth," the Left Worthy Prince commanded. "The rest of you, do not slack off. We will rest for these two days, and then we will strike in one go to take Yinshan Fort!"

"As you command!" the subordinates roared in unison.

No sooner had the words been spoken than twenty cavalrymen, divided into two squads of ten, each with two horses, quickly broke away from the main force and galloped toward the direction where the wolf smoke had risen.

As night descended, the moon bright and the stars sparse, these two scout teams fell into Zhao Ergou’s ambush.

"Is this it? Is this the level of the Right Worthy Prince’s forces you were bragging about?" Zhao Ergou shook the blood from his blade and raised an eyebrow at Sun Liu, his face filled with disdain. "This handful of men isn't even enough to go around for our brothers!"

Sun Liu desperately tried to persuade Zhao Ergou to take a detour back inside the pass and stop taking such risks. Neither Tugebu at Gaoguan Pass nor the Left Worthy Prince on the road was someone to be trifled with. Sun Liu had worn his tongue out, painting a picture of Tugebu’s martial prowess and the Right Worthy Prince’s cunning, but Zhao Ergou was dead set on heading straight for Gaoguan Pass, and he wouldn't let Sun Liu leave.

Poor Sun Liu—he had fought bravely during the attack on the Left Worthy Prince’s camp and had earned enough merit to receive a reward upon his return. Now, he was being held hostage by Zhao Ergou and forced to provoke the Rongdi-occupied Gaoguan Pass. Was this not suicide?

Sun Liu felt bitter. Especially now, after they had wiped out the enemy scouts and obtained crucial intelligence, Zhao Ergou was still not satisfied. Could it be that he would only be happy if they charged straight into the arms of the Right Worthy Prince’s forces?

"Old Liu, you’re too timid!"

Sun Liu simply did not believe these people could take Gaoguan Pass. Even after witnessing Zhao Ergou’s archery, which could hit a willow leaf from a hundred paces, he still didn't believe it!

"Brother Liu, what are you dragging your feet for? It’s just Gaoguan Pass; how long do you plan on whining about it?" Zhao Ergou interrupted him impatiently, scraping his cheek. "Stop waiting! I’ll have this pathetic Gaoguan Pass taken for you before dawn!"

Zhao Ergou’s tone was so arrogant that it was as if taking Gaoguan Pass were as simple as eating or drinking, requiring no effort at all.

"What?!" Sun Liu’s eyebrows nearly shot up to his hairline, and his voice rose an octave, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. He glared at Zhao Ergou, his eyes filled with such intensity he looked as if he wanted to swallow him whole.

"Your foul temper is going to get us all killed sooner or later! You’ve never seen Gaoguan Pass; that place isn't something you can just take with luck! Those parlor tricks you’re so proud of, and those few broken arrows of yours—in front of the walls of Gaoguan Pass, they aren't worth a damn!"

Sun Liu grew more agitated as he spoke, his voice beginning to tremble.